This invention relates to a vessel for use in the collection of data in aquatic environments. More particularly, the present invention relates to a remotely controllable, miniature, boat capable of holding and transporting water data collection apparatus on bodies of water, including remote or constricted areas, such that appropriate data readings and or samples may be obtained.
The collection of water data is of vital importance to water management, including flood and draught control and environmental safety and preservation. Data collection includes obtaining measurements of stream flow and velocity, water quality, bathymetry (the science of measuring the depths of oceans, seas and other water bodies), and surveying locations. For instance, in the management of water, it is often necessary to move water from reservoirs, such as lakes or dams, through canals to other locations. In accomplishing such movement, it is essential to know when gate or pump systems must be activated. This in turn requires comprehensive and accurate data relating to the relevant water bodies. In the past, it has been very difficult, dangerous and expensive to collect such data.
Oftentimes overgrown banks, shifting sediments and the population of areas make it difficult to determine the amount of water that should be moved through canal systems. Previous data collection methods have involved the deployment of technician crews to sites where date collection is desired. Such methods have included the use of measuring rods or flow meters by technicians while physically standing in streams. The technician must manually take the required measurements at various depths and vocally convey the measurements to another technician standing on the shore who records the measurements. As can be appreciated, such measurements are limited as the technician can only go a certain distance into the water body and still take the necessary measurement. The communication of the data to the second technician is often not heard correctly and must be repeated. There are also significant dangers to the technician in the water who may be attacked by various life forms residing within the water body. The technician""s safety may also be imperilled by strong currents, other vessels or water contaminated by pollutants.
In other methods, water data has been collected through the use of cranes, having data collection apparatus mounted thereon. The cranes are further mounted on structures spanning water bodies, such as bridges. It is not possible to comprehensively collect data with such methods, given that in some locations bridges are not present and measurements for those locations go unrecorded. Additionally, the set up for mounting the cranes on the bridges is costly and time consuming. Moving vehicles on such bridges present risk of harm to the data collecting devices and the technicians operating them.
Yet another water data collection method previously used involves full size boats. In such method, technicians must load data collection equipment onto full size boats and steer or operate such boats to the locations were data collection is desired. It may be necessary to hold the boat in place in a body of water by a tag line on each bank of the canal so that accurate measurements or readings may be taken. The use of tag lines can be hazardous, particularly when other boats are travelling on the same body of water and such boats may run into or become entangled in the tag lines. Full size boats are expensive to acquire and may be dangerous to operate in adverse weather conditions, thereby imperiling the safety of the technician operators who are onboard. Full size boats require large hangars for storage or docks for mooring. The loading, set-up and launching of full size boats to collect data can be very time consuming. Additionally, it may be difficult or impossible to maneuver a full size boat into a remote or very narrow location. Given that many locations are inaccessible to such full size boats, the collection of water data has not heretofore been done in such areas.
The present invention provides an inexpensive and safe way to collect water data. A remotely controllable, miniature boat is provided having the capability to receive, hold and transport sensitive water data collection apparatus to previously inaccessible aquatic environments. Although radio controlled boats have been used in the past, such uses have been unrelated and different from those of the present invention, such as for amusement as toys or to accomplish fishing. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,041,537, 5,806,232, 5,363,587, 5,361,530, 5,309,664, 5,165,193 and 5,154,016 are each concerned with some type of fishing operation such as remotely delivering bait or fishing poles to a fishing location. Such patents do not involve the special task of transporting sensitive measurement devices in manner which optimizes the accuracy of readings taken and permits immediate real time communication of the recorded data as can be done with the vessel of the present invention. Accordingly, the components and structure of the boats of such patents are entirely inapposite to the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vessel for use in the collection of data in aquatic environments. Aquatic environments is intended to include bodies of water, such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, canals, swamps and marshes. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a compact and lightweight vessel for water data collection apparatus such that the vessel may be easily transported and stored on land in relatively small spaces. The vessel of the present invention is a light weight, miniature boat constructed of aluminum. Because of its miniature size, the vessel may be transported on the bed of a pick-up truck and it may be stored when not in use in a small room as opposed to large hangars or sheds as would be required for full size boats. The compact size of the present vessel makes it able to be used in very narrow or remote locations on bodies of water. The miniature size also minimizes resistance to wind while the vessel is in use thereby assisting in propulsion.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a vessel that does not require onboard operators to function. The boat of the present invention can be controlled remotely by use of a radio transmitter and radio receiver on the vessel that communicates the radio signals to the respective vessel servos for directing parameters such as speed of propulsion and direction of movement. The data collection apparatus transported thereon may also be controlled remotely from shore. Accordingly, the vessel of the present invention provides a safe way for data to be collected with reduced equipment set-up and launching time as compared to that of a full size boat.
The vessel of the present invention has two opposite and parallel aluminum pontoons held permanently in such position by at least one transverse member horizontally spanning the pontoons and welded thereto. Because the vessel of the present invention is not a mono-hull or single hull design, its construction is much simpler and inexpensive as it is not necessary to make or fashion wells or pockets for containment of operating devices or data collection apparatus. The twin pontoons also provides enhanced floatability to the vessel of the present invention. Each pontoon front section terminates in a five sided tip which assists the vessel""s ability to travel on water by reducing wind resistance and by cutting through highly viscous, polluted or vegetation inhabited waters.
The twin pontoons permits the mounting of an electro-mechanical module between the pontoon rear sections. The electro mechanical module houses the components which permit the vessel of the present invention to travel on water such as servos regulating the propulsion system""s drive motor and rudder/propeller. Additionally, the electro-mechanical module provides buoyancy for the vessel of the present invention. In case the pontoons are damaged or rendered inoperable, the electro mechanical module is independently able to float on water. Because of the vessel""s light weight and ability to float on water, the water line is only about twenty to thirty percent (20-30%) of the height of the vessel of the present invention taken from the bottom of the pontoons. This permits the vessel to travel easily on water bodies having vegetation, muck, mud or pollutants.
The twin pontoons also permits the mounting of data collection apparatus between the pontoon front sections. As such, the data collection apparatus can be positioned upward and forward looking and has unobstructed access to the area to be researched or studied. Because the data collection apparatus is mounted above the pontoons, contact between the apparatus and the water body is thereby avoided.
The vessel of the present invention is also particularly suited for permitting the collection of measurements which must be repeated along a given linear path. Each pontoon has a bow thruster which comprises a water pump, a motor for the water pump and a water discharge means. The bow thruster is contained within the front section of the pontoon. Water is drawn into the bow thruster through the pontoon bottom and expelled through an exhaust on the outer side of the pontoon below the water line. The bow thrusters permit the vessel of the present invention to rotate about its central axis thereby permitting movement and corresponding measurement of constricted spaces, as well as linear paths along which measurements must be repeated numerous times.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent by reference to the written description and the drawings which follow.